Recoding Gender

Recoding Gender examines women's participation in computer programming and software development from the 1940s through the early 21st century. The book focuses on women's experiences in the United States and Britain during this transformative period in computing history. Through interviews and historical research, Abbate traces how women entered programming during WWII and continued working in the field as it evolved into a distinct profession. The narrative follows key developments in computing education, workplace culture, and industry hiring practices that impacted gender dynamics in tech. The text documents both the barriers women faced and their significant technical contributions, highlighting stories of female programmers, system architects, and entrepreneurs. Primary sources and oral histories reveal how women navigated male-dominated spaces and helped shape modern computing. This history challenges conventional narratives about gender and technology by demonstrating women's essential role in computer science from its earliest days. The book raises broader questions about how occupations become gendered and how professional identities intersect with social categories.

Readers value the book's detailed research into women programmers' contributions during computing's early decades. Multiple reviews highlight Abbate's exploration of how programming shifted from being viewed as "women's work" to a male-dominated field. Positive feedback focuses on: - Documentation of overlooked female pioneers - Analysis of workplace culture and gender dynamics - Clear writing style accessible to non-technical readers Common criticisms: - Limited coverage of women of color - Focus on UK/US overlooks other regions - Academic tone can be dry in parts Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (78 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (12 ratings) Reader quote: "Finally puts names and stories to the women who shaped early computing, though I wish it covered a broader geographic scope." - Goodreads reviewer Several academic reviewers note the book fills gaps in computing history, while general readers appreciate learning about lesser-known figures like the ENIAC programmers and Stephanie Shirley.

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🔹 Despite the current gender disparity in tech, early computer programming was considered "women's work" and many pioneering programmers were women, including those who programmed ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer. 🔹 Author Janet Abbate is a professor at Virginia Tech and has spent over 20 years researching the history of computing and the internet, making her one of the leading scholars in this field. 🔹 The term "software" wasn't commonly used until the 1960s, and early computer work didn't clearly distinguish between hardware and software development tasks. 🔹 Many early female programmers entered the field through mathematics backgrounds, as computer science degrees didn't exist yet, and employers actively recruited women with math skills. 🔹 The book reveals how the field of programming transformed from a female-friendly occupation in the 1940s-50s to a male-dominated profession by the 1980s, largely due to professional prestige and the rise of personal computing.